Sunday Seven - 45th Edition

In the belief that replaying and focusing on the positive aspects of life leads to a greater sense of gratefulness and a stronger desire to contribute positively to the world, and in the hope that we will gain strength and joy from sharing these with one another, we Sunday Seveners take one blogging opportunity each week to share seven blessings, joys, or tidbits of news from the past week or seven expectations for the coming week. We'd love to have you join us. Here are mine for this week:

1. This past week I had the opportunity to keep my three out-of-town grandchildren a few hours. Their mother, a teacher, had parent conferences and the children had early-release days. So I picked them up at noon each day from school and stayed with them. I arrived at their house Wednesday morning and came home Friday morning. We had a wonderful time.

2. In addition to getting to spend this time with three of my favorite children in the world, I had a wonderful solitary country drive to their town and back home. I took the country route - slow, but scenic and less stressful than the multi-lane interstates around Atlanta. There was little traffic (comparitively speaking), and I just took as much time as I wanted, especially coming home. I stopped and walked around a Walmart, I stopped to pump gas, I sipped on some great Southern iced tea, I stopped and wandered around an interesting antique flea market in Cartersville, and as I drove I listened to an audio CD of a good Iris Johannson mystery, Stalemate.

3. I was away from my house for three days, so I could forget that I still have many boxes that need to be unpacked and "things" that still don't have "places" in this house.

4. I got to feel like I was some help to my precious greatly-overworked and stressed daughter, who is almost ME. We are very close and share numerous interests; we feel each other's pains and stresses and enjoy each other's successes; it was a joy to take a little of her load this week. I got the laundry caught up, kept the dishwasher loaded and unloaded, helped the children with homework and getting valentines ready, and listened to each of the children read each night.

5. I didn't gain weight this week. I also did not lose weight this week. Considering that I did not cook and did not get any planned exercise, I am pleased just not to have gained. I will start back on the losing track this coming week.

6. The weather has been very varied. We have had some much-needed rain; we have had some very warm and comfortable days; we have had some very chilly and invigorating days.

7. Every day this weeks I have: read blogs, written a little, read a little, and thought a little. I have listened and talked to people who are important in my life.